April 11, 2015 Members Meeting

Law Enforcement Month

SAR Law Enforcement Commendation Medal

L - R: Past President Charles Day, Hernando County Deputy
Chris Vascellaro and President Edward Gingrich. Deputy Vascellaro
received the SAR Law Enforcement Commendation Medal in recognition
of your outstanding achievements and dedication to the maintenance
of law and order. In particular, you are commended for performing an
act of life saving and also for being named Hernando County Deputy
of the year for 2014.

L - R: President Edward Gingrich, SAR Inductee William Arthur Brobst Jr. and Registrar Robert Folk. April 11, 2015 General Membership Meeting inducted William Arthur Brobst Jr. into the Florida SAR Withlacoochee Chapter. Compatriot Brobst Compatriot Ancestor who served and or assisted during the American Revolution is Brobst/Probst, Matthias George.

Narrative for Revolutionary History of Norwich, CT. At the April meeting Compatriot Norman Freyer presented a Power Point presentation regarding the Revolutionary history of Norwich, Connecticut. This city has a rich Revolutionary history, the recognition of which seems to be disappearing with each successive generation. The study of one’s historical background is no longer in vogue. Thus the reason for the presentation. Norwich was settled in 1659 on a nine-mile square piece of land purchased from Uncas, Sachem of the Mohegan tribe. The town prospered through the late 1600’s into the 1700’s by establishing a shipping trade with the West Indies and Europe through a navigable river port. As the American Revolution approached, the town was a hotbed of patriots supporting the cause of the colonies. It is seldom that one city can produce such a list of important patriots in the fight for independence.

Samuel Huntington was a member of the Colonial Council of Safety, a delegate to the Continental Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation, and in 1781, President of the United States in Congress Assembled. Benedict Arnold became one of the outstanding generals of the Continental Army, whose achievements included leading the decisive victory over the British at Saratoga. An event classified by the millennial edition of the New York Times, as “The most important battle in the last 1000 years”, and gave Arnold full credit for the victory. Colonel Joseph Trumbull, the son of Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull, was Washington’s Commissary General and had adequate skills for the position, but was completely hindered by lack of funding, lack of supplies, lack of transportation, political jealousies, and untimely missteps by Congress. He resigned in 1777, physically worn, and died 1778 at the age of 41.

General Jedidiah Huntington was one of Washington’s most trusted generals, and fought in the Revolution starting with the siege of Boston. Huntington and Arnold were credited with the Continental victory in the battle of Danbury. Roger and Diah Manning were two brothers who were drummers, and very good drummers. Drummers were used to create the spirit of battle in troops during army maneuvers. The brothers grew close to Washington and were appointed to his personal elite bodyguard. Diah Manning was the drummer at the hanging of the British spy, Major John Andre.

The town also had an established ship building industry and built the naval ships the Spy, the Shark, and the opulent frigate, the Confederacy. The town served well in the fight for American Independence.